BM #86 Week 3 Day 2 - Here is the Ugadi (Telugu New Year) festival platter which we enjoyed today. Since Ugadi signifies the advent of spring, all the freshly harvested vegetables are used, specifically raw mangoes. This platter was possible because the festival fell on a weekend :)The festival spread this time was Mixed Lentil Fritters, Toor Dal Poli, Wheat Rava Kheer, Moong Dal Chutney, Mamidikaya Mukkala Pachadi (Raw Mango Pickle), Mamidikaya Pulihora/Raw Mango Rice, Sweet Potato Fry, Beetroot Curry, Raw Mango Dal, Poornam Charu (Rasam) along with Papad, Rice and Yogurt. The picture also shows Ugadi pachadi.In many families, it is traditional to use Chana Dal-Jaggery filling (Senaga Poornam) for Bobbatlu. But if I remember correctly, my paternal grandmother used only toor dal-jaggery filling (Kandi Poornam) as there were many in the family who could not tolerate Chana Dal. I know of many friends who are allergic to chana Dal. I am sure this Toor Dal filling would be a blessing for them.

To prepare the filling (Poornam) - Wash and boil toor dal on the stove top until it is just tender.Drain the extra water and let the cooked dal cool. (if needed spread it over a clean cloth)Add the powdered jaggery to the boiled toor dal and grind in a mixer to a fine paste adding cardamom powder. It should result in a stiff dough. Allow it to cool. To Prepare the Dough - In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, salt, turmeric and add water gradually. Knead it into a soft dough. Cover and set aside for a few minutesTo Roll out the Bobbattu - Divide the dough into equal parts (about 8-9) and roll each portion of the dough into small circles. Put in at least a teaspoon of filling and close the edges.Roll out this ball into a thin circle like a roti making sure that the filling doesn't ooze out. Also carefully roll it so the filling spreads out evenly. [I used a puri press/tortilla press to make it simple instead of rolling it out :)]Gently place it on a heated tawa/griddle, drizzle a little ghee/oil and cook until both the sides are light brown. Remove the bobbattu from the tawa. Store in an insulated container.Continue with the rest of the dough. Serve them warm and enjoy!

BM #86 Week 3 Day 1 - This week I shall post some everyday thalis which make a common appearance on our dining table. The thali in the picture has 1. Potlakaya Perugu Pachadi / Raita2. Semiya Payasam3. Rice And Uppu Mirapakaya (Fried Mirchi)4. Plantain Fry in Yogurt Sauce5. Thotakoora Pulusu (same as Palak Pulusu but with Thotakoora/Tindal Bhaji)6. Muddha Pappu / Tadka Dal7. Green Tomato Pachadi8. YogurtIn the above meal, the Tadka dal complements the lack of dal in the Thotakoora Pulusu and is a classic combination in our families. The Snake Gourd(Potlakaya) Raita here is more like a sabji mixed in rice and is our family favorite. Here is the recipe for Plantain Fry in Yogurt Sauce. I referred Vahchef's recipe for this but instead of deep frying the plantains, I air fried them. I have made this so many times now due to popular demand at home. Make it to believe it.

Method Of Preparation -Peel the plantain and slice into thick slices about 2 mm in thickness and soak in water until needed.[Make sure to grease your palms before peeling to ensure a mess free cleanup].In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, salt, red chili powder, ginger-garlic paste and make a thick paste adding as much water as needed.Drain the plantain slices and dunk them in the paste making sure all the slices are coated with the rice flour paste.[For the Air Fryer, I arranged them on a parchment paper, froze them for 3-4 hours or arrange on a foil inside the air fryer in a single layer.]

Deep fry the plantain slices and set aside on paper towels for the excess oil to drain. [Since I used the Air Fryer, I fried them for about 20 minutes, spraying oil as needed so that they don't dry out. They were light golden in color and crispy when I took them out.]

In a heated pan, add oil and prepare the seasoning. Add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves and asafotida. After the dals are golden brown, add in the garlic and green chili, turmeric, salt and red chili powder. Saute for a few seconds (and be ready to handle the spicy fumes :) ). Pour in the yogurt, give a quick stir and let it thicken for a couple minutes.Reduce the heat and add the fried plantain slices into the yogurt sauce. Coat the sauce on all the slices and remove from heat.Serve hot with rice and Dal for a spicy meal.

BM #86 Week 2 Day 3 - Here is another sweet perfect for any festive occasion. Here I have used low fat ingredients to achieve a rich dessert. I sometimes make khoya and add it instead of adding the milk powder in the halwa. That also tastes good. Ingredients -Carrots, peeled, shredded 4 cupsMilk 1/4 cupMilk Powder 2 TbspCondensed Milk 1/2 tin (I used fat free)Almonds, coarsely crushed 3 TbspRaisins and Cashews, Roasted for garnish

Method Of Preparation -

Pressure cook the carrots and milk for 15-20 min (2-3 hisses). In a heated pan, add ghee and condensed milk. Stir gently and let it cook for a few minutes.Add in the milk powder, crushed almonds and boiled carrots along with the milk.Keep stirring until the mixture comes together as a single mass. We like it a little more grainy. So I stirred for a few more minutes to get the texture we prefer. Remove from heat.Garnish with roasted cashews and raisins.Serve hot or cold.

BM #86 Week 2 day 2 - During our childhood, the few days before any festivals used to be a time for mom to make batches of goodies which included sweets and chaklis. Following that tradition, one of my friend's mom distributed sweets and this chakli a few months back. After eating that chakli, my older one pestered me to get the recipe from aunty and make it at home. After I got the recipe and was ready to make it at home, She told me not to tweak the recipe and to follow aunty's recipe to the T. That is what I did. It is always a pleasure to see the beaming smiles on the kid's faces, right?Recipe Source My friend's momIngredients -Rice Flour 4 cupsPeanuts, roasted and powdered 1 cupMoong Dal 1 cupCumin seeds 1 tspSesame seeds 2 TbspAsafotida 1/4 tspBaking Soda a pinchAjwain / Vaamu 1 tsp*Red Chili Powder / Green Chili Paste as needed Salt as needed

* I used red chili powder

Method Of Preparation -

Wash and boil the moong dal with about 1.5 cups of water. Adding very little water, grind into a fine paste upon cooling.In a mixing bowl, add the rice flour, peanut powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, salt, red chilli powder, ajwain, asafoetida and the moong dal paste. Mix well so the moong dal paste is mixed well into the rice flour. Add in hot oil and mix well.Add water gradually to make a soft dough. Fill in the murukku press with the dough and I used the regular perforated plate.Heat oil in a deep pan, and on medium heat use the murukku press to drop in spirals of dough. Fry them until they change color. Drain them onto kitchen paper towels. Continue for the rest of the dough.Store in an airtight container upon cooling.

BM #86 Week 2 Day 1 - This week I shall highlight some dishes which can be made during any festival season.This was the first dish I tried after I opened the Instant pot a few months back. Traditionally, this rice kheer takes about 2-3 hours to get the desired consistency and color. I was amazed to see that it took just about 50-55 minutes in the Instant Pot to get the same (actually better) results. My husband loved the look and taste of the pinkish kheer.

Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add ghee and rice. Saute for 30 seconds.Add 5 cups of whole milk, sugar, nuts and saffron.Close Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Press Porridge button. Set it for 30 minutes. Allow Natural Pressure Release (10-15 minutes).Open the Instant Pot, Mash the rice with the back of a spoon or use an immersion blender. Cook on saute for 2-3 mins to achieve the desired consistency while stirring constantly. Keep on the warm mode until ready to be served.Serve Warm or Chilled.

In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and rub in the olive oil well.Add about half a cup of hot water and knead it into a stiff dough. Add a couple of tablespoons of hot water if needed.Divide the dough into two manageable portions. On a parchment paper, slightly flatten a portion and roll out flat to about 1/8th inch thickness or less if possible. Place it on a baking tray. Repeat for the other portion as well. Using a knife or pizza cutter, score the flattened dough making desired shape.Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Bake in the middle rack for about 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 15 minutes. Switch the oven off and let them stay for another 10 minutes to crisp up.Remove and serve with cheese. [We enjoyed with some habanero cheese].

BM #86 Week 1 Day 2 - I read on the internet that Hasselback gets its name from a Swedish restaurant where it was first served. These seasoned potatoes fan out with crispy edges and soft insides. My little one said that they were like potato chips plus mashed potato all in one :). My older one was impressed by the look and couldn't wait for it to get crispier. I would have left it in the oven for another 15 minutes but couldn't handle the restless kids.There are numerous versions of Hasselback potatoes available online some with cheesy toppings as well. But I wanted to keep it simple and vegan.Ingredients -Potatoes 4 (Any baking variety should be good)Olive Oil 1-2 Tbsp (or as needed)Salt and Pepper as needed* I later seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder and paprika* Choose the potatoes so that they are a little flatter on one side as they would be stable and won't roll off. You could also slice off the underside to make it flatter.

Method Of Preparation -

Preheat the oven to 425°Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil, parchment paper or a silicone mat.Place the potato with the flatter side down on a cutting board, place chop sticks or wooden spoons on either side of the potato. Make thin slices (thickness is as per preference), cutting down to the chop stick or wooden spoon. [Make sure the potato is not sliced through completely.Arrange the sliced potatoes with the flatter side down on the lined baking tray.Lightly brush with the olive oil over the slices and get in and around each slice as best you can. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes, remove and baste with olive oil again and continue baking for another 30 minutes. Remove and baste with olive oil again and continue for another 25-30 minutes for a cripsier exterior. Potatoes will be crispy and golden brown. Top with fresh herbs or other seasonings and serve warm.

BM #86 Week 1 Day 1 -Traditionally in Denmark, Aebleskivers served as dessert pancakes and are sphere shaped. These are supposed to be sweeter than pancakes, also known as pancake puffs. All this about Aebleskivers is because my theme for this week is to highlight a few Scandinavian recipes.I felt that these are cousins of our very own Unniappam or thiyya ponganalu. My little one sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top and enjoyed them with syrup.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flours, salt and baking powder.In another bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, milk, sugar and oil.Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and gently mix until well combined. (The consistency of the batter should be slightly thicker than the pancake batter).

On low to medium heat, spray oil in the slots of the aebleskiver pan. After the oil is sizzling hot, gently pour a tablespoon of the batter in each slot. Cover and allow them to cook.After a couple of minutes, gently run a spoon along the edges of the aebleskiver and flip them. Remove them after a minute or so. Continue with the rest of the batter.Serve them warm with maple syrup or honey. [The adults at home enjoyed with some peanut chutney :)]

BM #85 Week 4 Day 3 - This is a quick and easy fusion breakfast/snack recipe combining our favorite Schezwan sauce and the humble Poha/flattened rice with loads of finely chopped vegetables.When I was looking at some fusion breakfast recipes, I came across the idea of Schezwan Poha and loved the idea. Please feel free to alter the proportions of the ingredients to suit your palate.In this instance, the love for Schezwan sauce won over the hate for Poha and was enjoyed by my better half as well.

In a colander, wash and drain the thick poha and set aside for a few minutes.In a heated pan, add oil and saute the vegetables until they are slightly cooked but retain the crispness. [about 3-4 minutes].Sprinkle salt and soy sauce (if using). Mix well while adding the schezwan sauce. Let the flavors blend for a minute or so.Add in the drained poha, mix well, cover and remove from heat. Leave it covered for about 5 minutes so that the poha can absorb all the flavors in the steam.Uncover and serve warm for a filling breakfast/snack.

BM #85 Week 4 Day 2 - This bread is from Australia and can be a cousin of the Irish Soda bread. This bread was originally made by the cowboys of Australia in open camp fires. They taste awesome when served warm and buttered.Recipe Adapted from hereIngredients -All Purpose Flour / Maida 1 3/4 cupsBaking Powder 1 tspSalt 1/2 tspButter 1 TbspMilk 1/2 cup + 1 TbspVegetable oil to grease the pan

Method Of Preparation -

In a mixing bowl, add the flour and baking powder. Rub the butter in so that the flour resembles coarse bread crumbs.Add in salt and warm milk and knead into a soft and pliable dough. (I used the stand mixer to knead the dough).Grease a pan and pat the dough into the pan in the desired shape. Score the top off the dough and brush with milk.Preheat the oven to 400 °F.Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for about 20 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.Remove, brush with butter and serve warm.